Ancient Romans utilized the foundation of Greek theater by borrowing the open air, semi-circular structure, while also innovatively altering the physical space to include an expanded stage. They also ...

Ridley Scott may have been ridiculed for portraying gladiators riding rhinos and scrapping with sharks in his latest film. But it seems the real Roman fighters did pick fights with a colourful array ...

The ancient brown bear skull was found at the Viminacium amphitheater in Serbia, providing the first physical evidence of the species’ involvement in Roman “spectacles,” researchers said. Marković, N.

For citizens of the ancient Roman Empire, a trip to the amphitheater meant a thrilling day of entertainment. However, for many of the gladiators and animals involved, it was a fight for survival. A ...

An ancient Roman mosaic shows a woman fighting a wild beast in the arena — a rare depiction of a female combatant and the first known visual representation of a woman battling animals, according to a ...

There was some real “grizzly” violence in the arena. It turns out that the “Gladiator” movies’ lurid depictions of man-on-beast gladiatorial bouts aren’t as far-fetched as some might believe — ...

Throughout history, rulers and political movements have used public spectacles of combat to evoke courage, sacrifice, collective strength and national purpose. From Roman gladiator contests to modern ...